Several readers wrote to me about The Republican Primary: Collier County’s Most Important Election. In this post, I share a few of their comments and explain how you can determine if and when what I suggested in that post applies to you.
Reader Comments
One reader pointed out that “for those of us in [County] Commission Districts 1, 3, and 5, the primary election will not include local partisan candidates. Our incumbent state and congressional representatives are certain to be re-elected.” She concluded, “I think my vote from District 1 will have more value helping to determine the Democratic candidates for statewide offices.”
Another reader wrote, “In the case of [County Commission] District 4 where all candidates are Republican: Can’t you vote in the primary regardless of your registered affiliation?”
Both readers are correct.
Having a Voice in Local Elections
In that post, I said that in order to have a voice in choosing who makes government decisions affecting Collier County and Southwest Florida, you should register as a Republican, since Republican candidates are sure to win the majority of Collier County’s votes in the general elections and since Florida is a closed primary state.
More specifically: if you live in a district that will have one or more closed Republican primaries in August, then the suggestion to register as a Republican before that election is something you should consider. If you don’t, the suggestion is not relevant to you now — but may be in the future.
You Can’t Pick and Choose
I also said, “Be mindful that your party affiliation governs all offices on the primary ballot: local, state, and federal. You can’t pick and choose.”
So if you have a closed Republican primary on your ballot for a local office but it is more important to you to vote in the closed Democratic primary for a federal office like U.S. Senator or a state executive office like Governor, simply ignore the suggestion. You will want to register as a Democraot.
The important thing is to be aware that you have a choice to make about which party to be registered with — before each and every election.
You can learn which districts you live in from the voter information card recently mailed to all registered voters by the Collier County Supervisor of Elections, or online as explained here. And you can learn who has filed for all of the local offices up for election online here.
Stay Tuned
The period in which candidates must qualify to appear on the ballot ends on June 17. (For more on “qualifying,” see my post Get Ready to Vote in the August 2022 Primaries.)
Only then will we know for certain which districts’ primaries will be closed, and as soon as we do, I will let you know.